Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 software is expected to introduce iPhone Handoff, a feature that could automatically move a phone number between two iPhones. The system is intended to address a limitation of eSIM-based setups, where using the same number on another handset is less straightforward than moving a physical SIM card.
The feature would use a primary iPhone that retains the main eSIM and a secondary iPhone assigned a companion eSIM. Rather than requiring a manual transfer through cellular settings, the active number would reportedly switch to the iPhone that has been unlocked and is being actively used. A notification in the Dynamic Island would indicate when the handoff has occurred.
iPhone Handoff was initially spotted as a reference on a WWDC presentation slide. Further details were reportedly uncovered through a simulation of the process in Apple’s Xcode development environment, so the final behavior and interface could still change before release.
Cellular-network settings would remain managed from the primary iPhone, and the feature will depend on carrier support. T-Mobile in the United States and Deutsche Telekom in Germany are among the operators said to be preparing compatibility, with wider support expected to follow the official launch.
Apple is expected to present iOS 27 alongside its new iPhone models at its fall event, with a public software release anticipated toward the end of September. Carrier participation will be the key factor in determining how broadly iPhone Handoff is available at launch.
